Bathtub cleaning apparatus



Jan. 27, 1959 KNlGHT 2,870,457

BATHTUB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ROBERT L. KN\6HT ATT'QQNEYS.

Jan. 27 1959 R. L. KNIGHT 2,870,457

BATHTUB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1958 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTQQNEYS Jan. 27, 1959 R. L. KNIGHT 2,370,457

BATHTUB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1958 4 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTORJ QQBE-ZT L- KNIGHT v BY ATTORNEYS Jan. 27 1959 R. L. KNIGHT 2,870,457

BATHTUB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1958 4 SheetsSheet 4 INVENTOR. ROBERT l KNlGHT 70 BY 4 %%m flwmn 4 @MW ATTOEN EYS Patented Jan. 27, 1959 BATHTUB CLEANING APPARATUS Robert L. Knight, Coalgate, Okla.

Application June 20, 1958, Serial No. 743,265

Claims. (Cl. 4-173) The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a bathtub.

An object of the present invention is toprovide an apparatus for installation in an opening in a wall adjacent to a bathtub, such apparatus being extensile and retractile through the opening from a concealed position in the opening to a position within the bathtub.

Another object of the present invention is to provide Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention shown in operative position extending over a bathtub, the bathtub being shown in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a view, on an enlarged scale, taken'on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 2, and

Figure 8 is a view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numeral 10 designates the apparatus for cleaning a bathtub according to the present invention, such apparatus comprising a pair of opposed, spaced, facing trackways 12 and 14 arranged on either side of an opening in a wall 16 and supported on opposed walls 18 and 20 of the opening in the Wall 16. The trackways 12 and 14 are positioned within the opening in the wall 16 so that their one ends are remote from the wall 16 and their other ends are adjacent the wall 16. As shown in Figure 2, with respect to the trackway 14, the ends of the trackways 12 and 14 remote from the Wall 16 are connected to the walls 18 and 20 for movement from the horizontal full line position to an upwardly and outwardly sloping position in which the ends of the trackways 12 and 14 adjacent thewall 16 are spaced inwardly from the wall 16, such position being shown in dotted lines.

A frame 22, constituting a platform, is superimposed upon the trackways 12 and 14 and is provided with roller members at each end thereof rollably engaging in the trackways 12 and 14, one such roller being shown in the trackway 12 and indicated by the reference numeral 24 and another in the trackway 14 and designated by the reference numeral 26 in Figure 3.

I In'Figures 1 and 2, the frame 22 is shown with a portion 28 adjacent one end solid and extending over the open top of a bathtub 30 which has its bottom resting upon a floor surface 32 adjacent to and contiguous with the wall 16. The flat solid portion 28 of the frame 22 constitutes a cover for the tub 30. The rollers on the frame 22 constitute a means by which the frame 22 is moved from the position with the portion 28 extending over the tub 30 to a position in which the portion 34 of the frame 22 remote from the wall 16 is adjacent the pivotal end portion 36 of each trackway 12 and 14, such position being shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.

The frame 22 includes a rear cross member 38 on which is mounted an electric motor 40 having a drive shaft 42. On a second cross member 44 of the frame 22 is mounted a pair of spaced bearing blocks 46 rotatably supporting the shaft 48.

Depending from the underside of-the cross member 44 is a bearing hanger 50 rotatably supporting a shaft 52. A third frame cross member 54 carries a pair of spaced bearings 56 supporting a cross shaft 58. Depending from the cross member 54-is another bearing hanger 60 supporting an end portion of the shaft 52.

Other bearing blocks 62 on the cross members 38 and 44 rotatably support a jack shaft 64 carrying a pulley 66 drivably connected to the drive shaft 42 by means of another pulley 68 on the shaft 42 and a connecting belt 70.

Other pulleys 72 and 74, and a connecting belt 76, drivingly connect the jack shaft 64 to the shaft48. A telescopic shaft assembly '78 having universal joints 80 and 82 on its-ends connects the shaft 48 to another jack shaft 84 rotatably mounted in the upper end portion of a carriage 86 which is in superimposed relation with respect to the cover portion 28 of the frame 22. The

upper face of the cover portion 28 is provided with a pair of spaced rails 88 on which are rollably mounted wheels 90 supportingthe carriage 86 for transverse movement with respect to the frame 22. On an end plate 92 inwardly of one end of the carriage 86 is mounted a pair of bearing blocks 94 rotatably supporting therein a driven shaft 96 which has a portion adjacent one end below the cover portion 28 and the portion adjacent the other end above the cover portion 28. A pulley 98 is fixedly secured to the upper end portion of the driven shaft 96 and is drivably connected to a pulley 100 carried on an intermediate portion of the jack shaft 84 by means of the belt 102. On the portion of the shaft 96 below the cover portion 28 of the frame 22 is fixedly secured a perforated bucket having a closed top as shown most clearly in Figure 7 and designated by the reference numeral 104. A plurality of strands of knotted cords 106 have their one end-portions secured in the bucket 104' and their other ends hanging free, the cords 106 constituting a brush element engagcable with the sides, ends, and bottom of the bathtub 30 when the shaft 96 rotates. As shown in Figure 2, the under face of the cover portion 28 of the frame 22 carries a spray dispensing means or conduit 108 having one end, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, connected to a flexible conduit 110 leading to a source of flushing water under pressure.

Rotatably supported in another bearing block 112 on a side wall 114 of the carriage 86 is a second driven shaft 116 having a portion adjacent its upper end above the cover portion 28 and carrying a pulley 118. A belt 120 connects the pulley 118 with another pulley 122 carried on the driven shaft 96. The lower end portion of the shaft 118 carries a pinion 124, shown in full lines in Figure 6 and in dotted lines in Figure 2, in

meshing engagement with a rack 126 which is of the closed oval and endless type. As shown in Figure 6, the rack 126 is carried on the inner wall of a shallow trough-shaped member 123 having an island 131 extending along its mid portion and spaced from the ends. An abutment 132 on the end of the pinion 124 retains the pinion 124 in mesh with the teeth of the rack 126 as the shaft 116 executes its reciprocal movement transversely of the frame 22 with the member 128 slida'olc Within a shallow frame 134 forming a part of the cover portion 28 of the frame 22. Such construction is conventional and provides for continuous reciprocating movement first in one direction and then in the other direction of the vertically disposed shaft 116, carrying the carriage 36 with it from one end of the frame cover portion 28 to the other end and return reponsive to rotation of the shaft 116.

Means is provided for movement of the trackways 12 and 14 as a unit from the horizontal position to the upwardly sloping position. This means consists in another rack 136 secured to each of the walls 13 and Ztl of the opening in the wall 16 and having the teeth of such racks engaged by pinions 138 carried on the ends of the shaft 58. A pulley 140 is carried upon the shaft 58 inwardly of one end thereof and is connected by a belt 142 to another pulley 144- carried on the shaft 57. at one end of the latter. Another and larger pulley 146 is carried on the other end of the shaft 52 and is connected by a belt 148 to a pulley 15d fixedly secured to the jack shafted. A double acting clutch 152 on the jack shaft 64 is manually actuated by a control rod 154 between alternative positions in which the jack shaft 64 is connected to the pulley 72 or the jack shaft 64 is connected to the pulley 150.

In operation, a suitable switch is provided for the motor .9, such switch not being shown here as not being a part of the present invention, and the control rod 154 is moved to the position in which the pulley "151) is engaged by the clutch 152. Normally, the apparatus is wholly within the opening in the wall 16 in the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 with the trackways 12 and 14 pivoted about pivot pin 156 as a horizontal axis, the pins 156 serving as means to connect the trackways 12 and 14 to the adjacent walls 13 and 2t) of the opening in the wall 16. Upon energization of the motor 40 the pinions 138 will travel first over the horizontal portions of the racks 136 and then downwardly in the vertical portions of the racks 136. When the trackways 12 and 14 reach the horizontal position, the brush element, embodying the bucket 1M and the cords 106, will be within the bathtub 30. Actuation of the clutch 152 to the position in which it engages the pulley 172 will then effect the rotation of the driven shaft 96 and driven shaft 116 to simultaneously impart rotary movement to the bucket 104 and travelling movement of the carriage 86 transversely of the frame 22 so that the bucket with its cords is carried from one end to the other end of the tub 30 With the cords slung outwardly by centrifugal motion and frictionally engaging the side walls and end walls of the tub 30. Other cords 1% on the bottom of the bucket 104 effectively engage and clean the bottom of the tub 30 as the carriage 86 executes its reciprocal back and forth movement over the tub 39.

When the tub is clean, the clutch is disengaged from the pulley 72 and reengaged with the pulley 154), effecting the upward movement of the cover portion 23 so that the bucket 184 is withdrawn upwardly out of the tub 30 simultaneously with movement of the trackways 12 and 14 to the upwardly sloping position and the withdrawal of the frame 22 inwardly and down- Wardly on the trackways 12 and 14 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2.

Suitable means may be used to close the opening in the wall 16 as desired, such means not being shown here as it is not a part of the present invention.

In Figure l the reference numeral 158 designates the slot in the cover portion 28 through which the driven shaft 96 extends for movement from one end of the tub 3% to the other. The reference numeral 166 designates a conduit leading to a source of liquid soap or cleaning solution, such source being designated by the reference numeral 162 and constituting a soap or cleaning solution dispenser.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a vertical wall provided with an elongated opening extending inwardly therein, and an open top tub positioned outwardly of and adjacent said wall, of a horizontally disposed trackway positioned within said opening so that'one of the ends is remote from said wall and the other of the ends is adjacent said wall and having one end connected to the sides of said opening for movement of said trackway about a horizontal axis from the horizontal position to an upwardly and outwardly sloping position in which the other end of the trackway is spaced inwardly from said Wall, a platform superimposed upon said Ll? away so that the portion adjacent one end extends over the open top of said tub and the portion adjacent the other end is adjacent to and spaced from said one end of said trackway and connected to said trackway for movement of said platform from the position in which the portion adjacent the one end extends over the open top of said tub to a position in which the portion adjacent the one end is inwardly of and spaced from said vertical wall, a drive shaft on said portion of said platform adjacent the other end, a carriage superimposed upon said portion of said platform adjacent the one end and connected to said platform for back and forth movement in a linear path transverse of said platform, a vertically disposed driven shaft carrying a brush element on the lower end positioned within said tub so that the brush element is wholly within and below the open top with the portion adjacent the other end exteriorly of and spaced above the open top of said tub, means connecting the portion adjacent the other end of said driven shaft to said drive shaft for rotation of said driven shaft responsive to the rotation of said drive shaft, and means connecting said carriage to said drive shaft for said back and forth movement responsive to rotation of said drive shaft.

2. The combination with a vertical wall provided with an elongated opening extending inwardly therein, and an open top tub positioned outwardly of and adjacent said wall, of a horizontally disposed trackway positioned within said opening so that one of the ends is remote from said wall and the other of the ends is adjacent said wall and having one end connected to the sides of said opening for movement of said trackway about a horizontal axis from the horizontal position to an upwardly and outwardly sloping position in which the other end of the trackway is spaced inwardly from said wall, a platform superimposed upon said trackway so that the portion adjacent one end extends over the open top of said tub and the portion adjacent the other end is adjacent to and spaced from said one end of said trackway and connected to said trackway for movement of said platform from the position in which the portion adjacent the one end extends over the open top of said tub to a position in which the portion adjacent the one end is inwardly of and spaced from said vertical wall, a drive shaft on said portion of said platform adjacent the other end, a carriage superimposed upon said portion of said platform adjacent the one end and connected to said platform for back and forth movement in a linear path transverse of said platform, a vertically disposed driven shaft carrying a brush element on the lower end positioned within said tub so that the brush element is wholly within and below the open top with the portion adjacent the other end exteriorly of and spaced above the open top of said tub, means connecting the portion adjacent the other end of said driven shaft to said drive shaft for rotation of said driven shaft responsive to the rotation of said drive shaft, means connecting said platform to said drive shaft for movement of said platform from the position in which the portion adjacent the one end extends over the open top of said tub to the position in which the portion adjacent the one end is inwardly of and spaced from said vertical wall responsive to the rotation of said drive shaft, and means connecting said carriage to said drive shaft for said back and forth movement responsive to rotation of said drive shaft.

3. The combination with a vertical wall provided with an elongated opening extending inwardly therein, and an open top tub poistioned outwardly of and adjacent said wall, of a horizontally disposed trackway positioned within said opening so that one of the ends is remote from said wall and the other of the ends is adjacent said wall and having said one end connected to the sides of said opening for movement of said trackway about a horizontal axis from the horizontal position to an upwardly and outwardly sloping position in which the other end of the trackway is spaced inwardly from said wall, a platform superimposed upon said trackway so that the portion adjacent one end extends over the open top of said tub and the portion adjacent the other end is adjacent to and spaced from said one end of said trackway and connected to said trackway for movement of said platform from the position in which the portion adjacent the one end extends over the open top of said tub to a position in which the portion adjacent the one end is inwardly of and spaced from said vertical wall, a drive shaft on said portion of said platform adjacent the other end, a carriage superimposed upon said portion of said platform adjacent the one end and connected to said platform for back and forth movement in a linear path transverse of said platform, a vertically disposed driven shaft carrying a brush element on the lower end positioned within said hub so that the brush element is wholly within and below the open top with the portion adjacent jacent the one end extends over the open top of said the other end exteriorly of and spaced above the open top of said tub, means connecting the portion adjacent the other end of said driven shaft to said drive shaft for rotation of said driven shaft responsive to the rotation of said drive shaft, means connecting said platform and said trackway to said drive shaft for simultaneous movement of said platform from the position in which the portion adjacent the one end extends over the open top of said tub to the position in which the portion adjacent the one end is inwardly of and spaced from said vertical wall and movement of said trackway from the horizontal position to the upwardly and outwardly sloping position responsive to the rotation of said drive shaft, and means connecting said carriage to said drive shaft for said back and forth movement responsive to rotation of said drive shaft.

4. The combination according to claim 1 in which the means connecting said carriage to said drive shaft for said back and forth movement responsive to rotation of said drive shaft includes an endless oval rack slidable on said platform and a pinion in meshing engagement with said rack and operatively connected to said drive shaft.

5. The combination according to claim 3 in which the means for connecting said platform and said trackway to said drive shaft'for simultaneous movement of said platform from the position in which the portion adtnb to the position in which the portion adjacent the one end is inwardly of and spaced from said vertical wall and movement of said trackway from the horizontal position to the upwardly and outwardly sloping position responsive to the rotation of said drive shaft includes spaced upstanding oval racks carried by the sides of said opening and pinions operatively connected to said drive shaft and in meshing engagement with said racks.

No references cited. 

